To Please a Lady Page #2

in every paper it'll go in, then what?

Well, we're talking about you.

For instance, what will you do

after the races tonight?

- What do you suggest?

- Watch it, lady.

Well, you know what I mean.

This is a tense business.

Dangerous.

How do you get your mind off it?

- You've had quite a few crackups.

- Everybody has them.

But you've had more than your share.

What about the one at Trenton?

We'll skip that.

Why skip it? Is that something

you don't wanna talk about?

Isn't that when the crowd

started hating you?

- What do they know?

- I don't know, I'm asking you.

All right, Number 17.

On the track for the main event.

- Let's get rolling.

- What happened at Trenton?

- I can't talk now. My race is coming up.

- Let's see what you can do.

- I'll come back afterwards.

- Suit yourself. I won't be here.

And in the same row,

on the outside in Car Number 15...

...that good-looking, fast-moving

boy from Rockaway, Red Jones.

On the pole, in the fifth row

in Car Number 6...

...that daredevil from virginia,

Crackerjack Wally Beeler.

Also in the fifth row

in Car Number 1...

...your all-time favorite,

champion Joe Youghal.

In the last row, on the pole in Number 4,

Dinky Devereaux.

- How did it go?

- Brannan's quite a guy.

- Are you through with him?

- No, not yet.

And in Car Number 17...

...Mike Brannan.

Yeah, Brannan, why don't you give up?

- Get that heap out of there.

- Drop dead, Brannan.

You ain't got a prayer tonight,

brother.

There they are, getting them going,

the 12 finest drivers in the east.

This is your main event.

It's gonna be a hot one.

The track's fast, the cars are faster

and everybody's all wound up.

They're coming for a rolling start now.

Fastest cars in the back.

- Why is that?

- Makes a tougher race.

Those boys in the back rows

have to drive plenty to win.

They're keeping nice formation

as they come out of the turn...

...approaching the starting line.

Keep your eyes on the green flag.

This may be a start. It is. There they go.

They're off.

In the first turn, it's Number 15.

That's Charlie Clint,

he's out in front by a whisker.

There's Number 17 skinning the fence.

Mike Brannan wide with his foot hard down.

He's gunning for Sam Kaderian,

Number 38.

Brannan's moving up fast on the outside

to get him as they come out of the turn.

It's a duel down the stretch.

These boys are burning rubber,

giving it everything.

Sam's a fighting fool in a brush like this

but Brannan's going ahead.

He can take them one-for-one

or in bunches. There he goes.

It's gonna take something to hold

that Brannan tonight.

Look out, he's in trouble.

Look at that slide.

He's out of it.

He's a driver, Brannan.

There he goes, right back into the action,

making time again.

Charlie Clint hanging on to the lead.

On his tail is Red Jones, Number 54,

and Wick Warren, beating him for second.

Joe Youghal's coming up through traffic

in Number 1, and 17's after him.

Everybody's bearing down now.

Watch Brannan moving up.

He's gunning for Johnny Kenna, Number 15.

Johnny's not gonna make it easy.

Got his foot on that throttle.

They're both open into the turn,

broadsiding like mad...

Wait a minute. Kenna's spinning.

He can't hold that car. He's lost her.

He's spinning in the infield,

but he's under control.

- What happened?

- They don't like what Brannan did.

- Chopped Johnny Kenna off. Spun him out.

- He's going right back.

Charlie Clint still in front.

There's Youghal blasting his way up there

with Brannan chasing him.

You can't miss those white cars.

They're standouts on any track.

Brannan and Youghal jockeying for position,

looking for a hole, trying to get through.

Youghal found one. He's moving up on 54,

challenging Red Jones.

He's gonna take him.

Jonesy can't hold him and there he goes.

Youghal's moving fast,

Brannan's tagging along.

Where Youghal goes, he goes too,

only Jonesy's not gonna let him by.

He's pouring it on. Boy, oh, boy,

what a dogfight. They're all in a heap.

Youghal, Jonesy, Mike Brannan

and Dinky Devereaux on the outside.

Brannan's loose. He's gone from 12th

to fifth and challenging for fourth.

That guy's in a hurry.

He must have a hot date after the race.

Charlie Clint still leading

and there's Youghal pouring on the coal.

He's trying to get away,

but Brannan's closing the gap.

They're both getting up,

Youghal into second.

Brannan's into third

with everybody after him.

The race is hot and getting hotter.

Brannan's in a slide.

Hold it. He held it.

Good thing he did with that free-for-all.

They're lapping slower cars.

Brannan's with Youghal, starting an

argument for second. They'll take Clint.

Youghal on the outside and Brannan's

moving up between him and Clint in 22.

That rip-roaring son-of-a-gun

from Arizona's led all the way.

Look at him give it the gun,

riding that white line, holding them off.

All three in a row

and nobody giving an inch.

Clint can't stay up there.

It's too hot.

Youghal and Brannan are moving ahead,

the two side to side.

Brannan's into the lead by half a wheel.

Now they're starting to lap slower cars.

Youghal is leading,

Mike Brannan is right with him.

In third, Charlie Clint. He's gonna stay

there and cop show money if he can't do better.

On their tails,

Red Jones and Dinky Devereaux...

...are leading the pack, going like crazy.

Anything can happen in this race.

Anybody can win.

Joe Youghal's jumping in the lead

out of that turn.

Everybody's yelling for their

favorite driver:
Joe Youghal, Number 1.

Here comes Brannan.

Youghal can't get away from him.

And there's Charlie Clint.

He ain't licked yet.

He's still staying with them.

Brannan is trying to take Youghal.

They're working like mad,

fighting those cars in the turn.

They're battling for the lead.

Brannan, trying to get away but he can't.

Don't let him go, Joe. Hold him, Joe.

Hold him, Joe!

Joe in Number 1

knows every trick.

Every time Brannan tries to grab an inch,

it's Youghal that shuts the gate.

They're tying each other into knots

through the turn.

Look like they're tied together.

This is one for the book.

I don't know

where they get all the power.

- Don't let him, Joe.

- It's still anybody's race.

These boys are hitting the fastest pace

we've seen.

Gonna make it tough to stay in,

but Clint's still trying.

Something's got to give.

They can't keep up this pace.

It's beginning to tell. Brannan's pulling

ahead, Youghal can't hold him.

Youghal ain't giving up.

He's a hard guy to beat.

He's making another bid for it.

It's now or never.

They're coming into the last lap

and Brannan's got the edge.

But it ain't much of an edge.

Youghal's riding with him again.

He can make it and Brannan knows it.

Race ain't over.

They're lapping Sam Kaderian,

the Number 38.

He's in trouble. Look out,

he's headed for the wall. He hits it!

He bounces across the track.

Lost a wheel.

Only one car can get through. It's Brannan,

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